The Case Of Cannabidiol ( Cbd ) - 1291 Words

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound found in cannabis that has garnered international attention due to its reported remarkable ability to greatly improve the quality of life in children suffering from catastrophic epilepsy. Cannabis breeders have developed techniques allowing them to grow strains of marijuana low in tetrahydrocannibinoil (THC), the chemical that causes the psychoactive effect of being â€Å"high.† Instead, the strain contains a high concentration of cannabidiol (CBD) a compound thought to have medicinal properties. This nontraditional form of alleviating health ailments in epileptic children has recently stirred controversy in both the medical and political arena. The background for the case of cannabidiol (hereafter referred to†¦show more content†¦Unwilling to give up on her daughter, Charlotte’s mother embarked on a journey to find alternatives. Her research would ultimately lead her to CBD and the Stanley Brothers, marijuana breeders, who dedicated themselves to cultivate a high CBD strain of marijuana. After taking the CBD for the first time since her seizures started at the age of three months, Charlotte experienced seven consecutive days without a single seizure. The authors report, â€Å"with a baseline frequency of 300+ convulsions per week, by month three of high concentration CBD extract, Charlotte had a 90% reduction in generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and had been weaned from her other antiepileptic drugs (Maa et al., 2014, p. 784).† Charlotte’s condition has improved drastically. She is now able to walk without assistance, talk, eat and drink on her own, sleep soundly through the night and experien ced significant improvement in her autistic behaviors. Charlotte now suffers from only 2-3 nocturnal seizures per month. The success had by Charlotte with using CBD quickly gained national attention after being featured in a CNN special. As a result, the Stanley brothers created a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the needs of epileptic patients. They have dubbed their strain of marijuana â€Å"Charlotte’s Web† after its success in treating